Lane Kiffin addresses Bryan Harsin's firing, being linked to Auburn job

The SEC West went through a much-expected shake-up today with the firing of Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin. It’s just further proof of a sport that expects results and expects them quickly. For Lane Kiffin, though, he understands there’s a much more personal side to a decision like this.

The Ole Miss head coach learned of Harsin’s firing during his press conference today and addressed the news as it went on. He said he understands the fan’s perspective of wanting a coach gone but that they also don’t realize what that decision does to a coach’s family and the families of his staff.

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“We were in meetings so I actually didn’t know that. When you’ve been through something like that, you obviously have empathy for people. It is what it is in the profession. I’m not complaining because the profession gets paid a lot of money and it’s part of it. But, when everybody routes for everybody to get fired…It’s not (just) that person,” said Kiffin. “It’s a ton of people besides his family, especially since the staffs have been increased. Kids are uprooted from schools and all those things. So I understand why fans route for it. I get it. But there’s a very personal side to it. A lot of adults, kids that, when something like that happens, are going to be affected.”

Kiffin knows what that feels like himself after USC fired him following the 2013 season. While that was his only firing, Kiffin has bounced around a fair bit over his career with stops in Knoxville and Tuscaloosa to Boca Raton and now Oxford.

His success with the Rebels, specifically in the same SEC division as Auburn, has actually made him a prime candidate for the Tiger’s job. That track record of movement also supports that rumor. However, Kiffin didn’t address any interest in the job during the press conference. He says it’s something he’ll have to deal with in recruiting, though, as Auburn begins their search for Harsin’s replacement.

“I never do (address it) with the team. Never have,” Kiffin said. “Recruits? You deal with that all the time. Anytime that you’ve probably taken a job and haven’t been in one place forever? I bet every coach gets that. I get that all the time from recruits. That’s just part of it. Recruiting is competitive and that gets used against us. We’ve been dealing with that for a long time so (that) would be nothing new.”

The Kiffin-to-Auburn rumor will swirl around he and the program for the remainder of the season, regardless of Ole Miss’ success. They’ll have to ignore it the best they can, though, as they continue on their year following their upcoming bye week.